Great for Cejudo. Bad for these guys.
If you thought Henry Cejudo was insufferable before his UFC 238 pay-per-view (PPV) title fight, just imagine how bad he’ll be after his June 8 finish over top-ranked bantamweight, Marlon Moraes, inside United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
And guess what? We all have to sit here and take it.
Cejudo backed up every piece of trash talk, validated every goofy costume, made good on every promise in the weeks and days after TJ Dillashaw blew up his UFC Brooklyn drug test and vacated the 135-pound strap.
More impressive than notching the “W” was his title-winning performance. “Magic” seemed to be in control of the fight for the first round and a half, but then Cejudo made the necessary adjustments, turned up the heat, and battled back in what was an impressive display of championship mettle.
“The Messenger” now joins Daniel Cormier and Conor McGregor in the “champ champ” club, boasting simultaneous titles at both flyweight and bantamweight. Since nobody cares about what’s doing 125 pounds, save for the remaining 12 fighters clinging to their jobs, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Cejudo make his next title defense against top-ranked bantamweight, Aljamain Sterling.
“Funkmaster” shut down fellow contender, Pedro Munhoz, on the UFC 238 main card and would probably get the nod over Peter Yan — also victorious last night in “The Windy City,” because Sterling is ranked No. 3 in the division against No. 9 for Yan.
That would also give the promotion time to establish a flyweight No. 1 contender. Jussier Formiga and Joseph Benavidez are ranked No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, and they’re set to collide at UFC Minneapolis later this month on ESPN.
The promotion could also wait for Formiga-Benavidez to play out (it’s only 20 days away) and send Sterling to battle Yan later this year for the next crack at the 135-pound crown. No word yet on whether or not promotion president, Dana White, will force Cejudo to surrender one of his straps to keep the divisions moving, like he did to Cormier.
Whatever the case may be, Cejudo will have the next few months to enjoy his place atop the 135-pound mountain. I’m sure that will bring us another round of theatrics, but so long as “The Messenger” delivers inside the cage, he’s earned the right to say whatever the heck he wants.
For much more on UFC 238 including results, live play-by-play, highlights, reactions, and more, head over to our “Cejudo vs. Moraes” live story stream by clicking here.